Suction cleaner



PT" 1929. w. s. SIMPSON 1,708,242

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 1921 "9 9 J J a lg mil-Will! 0 l I O I l y"a, a 4 4 K a Q 4 (a IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII W a H v H.

r lacy Z liwento y WaZZerJ'. Jilrywm a zizarlwy Patented Apr. 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

WALTER S. SIMPSON, OF CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR- TO THE UNITED ELECTRICCO]!!- I PANY, OF CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION.

SUCTION CLEANER.

Application filed December a, 1921. Serial No. 520,897.

The invention relates to suction cleaners commonly used for cleaningcarpets and floors, in which the cleaning action is performed by aircurrents caused by suction into the mouth of the nozzle or'tool of themachine, which may be supplemented by a rotary brush serving to pick uploose threads, lint and other flocculent material.

In machines of this character, the cleaning mouth of the nozzle or toolusually comprises an elongated slot or opening which may have asubstantial width, the rim thereof being normally held in sealingcontact with the carpet, compelling the air to pass through the carpetto the mouth; and when the contact between the rim and carpet is broken,a portion or all of the air may pass over the carpet and beneath the rimto v the mouth.

The objects of the present improvement is to provide means in the mouthof the nozzle or cleaning tool, spaced from and parallel with one lip ofthe rim of the mouth and protruding slightly from the plane of the lips,for causing the carpet to seal against the same and the other rim of themouth, and raising the adjacent lip of the mouth free of sealing contactwit the carpet or floor for the full width of the nozzle or tool, forreceiving surface dirt, such as lint, ravclings and thread which aredislodged and drawn into the mouth with the inrushing air.

The above and other objects may be at tained by shaping the mouth of thenozzle or cleaning tool in the form f an elongated opening or slot, the.front li thereof being slightly higher than the rear lip, when the mouthis in a horizontal position; a rod, preferabl in the form of a roller,being located in t e mouth, parallel with, adjacent to and slightlylower than the front lip, the carpet being sealed across the monthbetween the roller and rear lip, compelling the air to be drawn throughthe carpet to the mouth, the space between the rod and the front lipbeing free from the carpet, causing surface litter to be dislodged anddrawn into the mouth with the inrushing air.

The invention thus set forth in a general way may be embodied in theform of device illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming parthereof in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a portion of asuction cleaner showing the nozzle constructed in accordance with theinvention; and Fig. 2, a section on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

Thecasing of the machine includes the cyllndric fan chamber 1 and theforwardly extending vacuum chamber 2 below the fan chamber andcommunicating therewith through the orifice 3 in the intervening wall 4,for exhausting air from the vacuum chamher into the fan chamber throughthe action of the fan 5, which may be driven in any usual manner as byan electric motor.

The nozzle 6 communicates with the for.- ward end of the vacuum chamber,being transversely elongated upon opposite sides thereof and arranged tobe supported upon or adjacent to the carpet by means of the usual wheels7, the rotary brush 8 which extends through the nozzle being rotated asby the belt gear 9 operatively connected to one of said wheels.

The elongated mouth of the nozzle includes the rear lip 10 arranged tobe engaged in sealing contact with the carpet when the same is drawn upby the reduced pressure within the nozzle, and the front lip 11, whichheld by the rod 12 is slightly higher than the rear li so as to be heldout of sealing contact wit the carpet during the operation of themachine.

The rod 12, which is preferably in the form of a roller journaled atopposite ends in the end walls 13 and 14 of the nozzle, is preferablylocated parallel with the front and rear lips of the mouth and ispositioned nearer to the one li than to the other and also protrudesslig tly from the plane of the lips.

It 'is preferable to place the rod or roller 12 in impingin contact withthe nozzle brush 8, as best s own in Fig. 2 of the drawing in order thatany ravelings or threads which tend to fasten upon the rod will be removedby the operation of the brush, preventing the mouth of the machinefrom becoming clogged or choked by the ravelings or threads windingaround the rod.

When the carpet is drawn up against the mouth of the nozzle by thereduced pressure within the vacuum chamber, it is held in sealingcontact with the rod or roller 12 and the rear lip of the mouth, whilethe forward lip'of the mouth is held free from engage- .ment with thecarpet, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The strong suction of the machine will thus draw cleaning currents ofair from under and through the carpet between the rod 12 and the rearlip of the mouth, while a positive air current will be drawilig underthe forward lip of the mouth along the surface of the carpet, for notonly drawing in particles of refuse, but sweeping over the surface ofthe carpet, under the front lip of the nozzle.

The centrifugal fan serves to maintain a constant suction through thecleaning mouth, and when the same is applied to a carpet or otherfabric, the power is so proportioned that in addition to drawingcleaning currents of air from under and through the carpet, a locallyintensified current of air is drawn under the front lip of the nozzle,over the surface of the carpet, and within the mouth of the machine, andby carrying all the dust and surface litter immediately to and throughthe exhaust orifice, the formation of inactive air pockets in theforward portion of the nozzle is prevented, consequently preventingsettling of dust and dirt therein.

I claim I a A suction cleaner casing forming a vacuum chamber having anelongated mouth with rim lips presented to a carpet or the like,protruding means in the mouth located nearer to one lip than to theother for hearing on the carpet and holding the same from sealingcontact with the one lip, and a rotatable brush in the mouth arranged toimpinge upon the protruding means and to contact with the carpet betweenthe protruding means and said other lip.

WALTER S. SIMPSON.

